A Curse in a Blessing
by drawingdisaster
Summary: Jaune Arc accidentally unlocks his semblance during a spar with Cardin, but unfortunately for our blond knight, Jaune will soon learn that some blessings are just curses in disguise. A drabble.
1. Chapter 1

The sea is burning, the sky is blood, Jaune Arc is currently screaming his lungs out as he doubles over with pain inside Beacon's crowded arena.

Why?! That last hit should have just ended his spar with Cardin not threaten to split his forehead in two and boil his damn brain! What was wrong? What had been wrong? Why were the shifting images invading his burning forehead, alternating so fast that the young knight couldn't even hope to recognize a single face or blurry object?

"Mister Arc!"

Glynda Goodwitch suddenly yells in alarm and when she approaches the young man, the blond knight can presently see two shades fighting on top of a crumbling building. One of the shades is holding a bow and commanding fire.

"Mister Arc!"

The Beacon professor repeats and a heartless monster with burning amber eyes covers the kingdom of Vale in a shroud of white fangs and rivers of moving sentient darkness. The blond knight chokes back a startled scream as he suddenly locks eyes with a black-haired Haven student that is watching him from the last few rows. Her eyes are cunning, cold… and amber-colored.

"Mister Arc! Speak to me! Tell us what is wrong so we can help you."

She can't help him, no one can help. Everyone is either dying or already dead, every professor and student in this room _will_ certainly, _definitely_ die. The white fangs are spreading and sinking their teeth into Vale's bones, a familiar arm is flying, leaking hot red blood as a golden-haired Sun fades away never to be seen smiling ever again, all the while a torn bowler hat is uselessly tossed next to a shredded bloodstained parasol. The white fangs and the black teeth are closing in from all sides.

This can't be right, and yet it can't possibly be wrong. Jaune Arc will unfortunately never be wrong about anything ever again, regrettably. And even though his semblance feels more like a cruel curse than a blessing bestowed to him by his Aura, it is now a part of his body and soul.

Meanwhile the face of a dear dying friend is promptly turned into scattering ashes and cinders.

It seems like special powers like incredible strength, flight and precognition weren't in reality at all like they were depicted to be in the various action movies Jaune watched and his favorite X-Ray and Vav superhero comics. Who would have thought that a short glimpse into the future could hurt this much? Who could have guessed that knowing what was about to come couldn't actually change anything?

"Mister Arc!"

The shadow with the amber eyes and her two Haven friends stealthily move away from the commotion as the rest of the students form a buzzing circle around the collapsed knight and Jaune desperately tries to point an accusing finger at the bringer of death as Cinder calmly approaches the room's exit.

But Jaune Arc already knows. He knows that Glynda Goodwitch will never understand his raspy warnings before it was too late and that Pyrrha will completely misunderstand his weak gestures and quickly reach out to grasp his trembling clammy hand and offer him a small reassuring smile. And he also knows that Cinder Fall will slip away without a single word and someday return back to Vale to claim their doomed lives.

And Jaune Arc can't really help it and so the cursed blond man suddenly starts crying. Because Jaune knows.. Nay! He can actually see it! The damned fraud of Beacon can clearly perceive that they are all walking corpses in this room and that the end of the huntsmen's and huntresses' era is nigh.

Pyrrha dies, guilty and alone and a roaring silver rose instantly blooms in her place.

…What?


	2. Extra

**A reviewer sent me an awesome song suggestion that inspired me to write this ending. Have fun and tell me if you liked it.  
**

* * *

When Pyrrha kisses him it feels like a dream, when he shoves her into the locker and sends it to fly away he gives birth to her deepest nightmare. Jaune Arc then turns around and strolls towards a particular crumbling building and his date with fate. He doesn't pay attention to the civilians fleeing for their lives or the armies of roaring Grimm. He already knows all of the possible outcomes.

When he finally stands before the Fall Maiden, his legs are trembling, his firsts are clenched and his eyes are that of a dead man. It is a delicious irony that that makes Pyrrha a living woman. Cinder merely addresses him with a raised eyebrow and an arrow bouncing against his shield. And Jaune Arc feels blessed that his murderer isn't taking him seriously since that gives him a chance to successfully complete his morbid mission. With a boyish battle cry and a sword that was never supposed to belong to him the blond knight steps forward and a burning arrow mutilates his left ear.

After all knowing your opponents actions doesn't automatically mean that you have the necessary skill or the dexterity to avoid them. Especially if you are a fraud.

The sky is burning, the sea is blood, Jaune Arc is currently screaming his lungs out as he doubles over with pain before the mirthful gaze of the false Maiden.

"Jaune!"

Ruby Rose suddenly yells in alarm and the blond knight can almost imagine her running towards him at full speed as two shades are having a staring contest on top of a crumbling building. One of them is missing an arm and is being engulfed by fire.

"Jaune!"

The Beacon student repeats from afar as the half-dead bleeding knight stares at the heartless monster that covered the kingdom of Vale in a shroud of white fangs and rivers of sentient darkness. The blond knight offers Cinder a small grin as he keeps his eyes locked on the frown of the black-haired Devil that is watching him during his last moments. His eyes are relieved, sad… and yet they possess a hopeful azure shine.

"Jaune! Answer to me! I am almost there, I am coming to help you!"

She doesn't need to help him, no one needs to help. Everything is going to be alright from now on, every exhausted professor and student fighting the creatures of Grimm will be saved and live to see another day. The white fangs are breaking, shattering as they attempt to bite into Vale's bones, a familiar arm is flying, leaking hot red blood but the golden-haired Sun will live to soon lose his smile. Jaune can't say the same for the bowler hat and the shredded bloodstained parasol, but that's ok.

This decision is right and yet Jaune Arc knows that his actions are wrong. He intentionally chooses to be wrong to be allowed to do what is right. And even though his semblance still feels more like a cruel curse than a blessing bestowed to him by his Aura, it is and will always be a part of his body and soul. And the blond knight currently needs all the parts available to him since he is already missing an arm and an ear.

Meanwhile the face of a dear crying friend promptly resurfaces into his mind as Cinder is about to scatter him like mere ashes.

It seems like special powers like incredible strength, flight and precognition weren't in reality always able to save your life. Who would have thought that a short glimpse into the past could traumatize his friends and family? Who could have guessed that knowing what would never come to be could actually change everything?

"Jaune!"

The shadow with the amber eyes and her two Haven friends are too close to the commotion now to hide back in the shadows. Cinders flames form a scorching circle around the proud determined knight and Ruby desperately tries to grab her first friend and pull him away from the bringer of death as Cinder's arrow enters his torso.

But Jaune Arc already knows that. He knows that Glynda Goodwitch would never had understood his warnings before it was too late and that Pyrrha will someday come to understand his cruel gesture and slowly reach out to grasp her happiness with a small rueful smile. And he also knows that Cinder Fall won't be able to slip away like before because her burning arrow has just doomed both of their lives.

And Jaune Arc can't really help it and so the cursed blond man suddenly starts laughing. Because Jaune knows.. Nay! He can actually see it! The unsung hero of Beacon can clearly perceive that his friends and his peers will be walking out of this nightmare with their lives and that the start of the huntsmen's and huntresses' era is bathed in silver light.

Jaune Arc dies, smiling and in the company of his best friend and a roaring silver rose instantly blooms around his dissolving body.

…What a luck!

It seems like sometimes a fraud can actually change the reality.


End file.
